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Image credits: ross sneddon via Unsplash
For most of this century, nudge theory (a branch of behavioral science that places the environment and suggestions at the center of influencing decision-making) has been prominently applied to nearly every area of life. From healthcare and road safety to supermarket exhibits and Schiphol Airport urinals, you can’t miss it (literally).
However, over the past few years, behavioral science has gotten a bit of a bad reputation.
Who decides what is the “better” decision? Why would a fan of a lower league football club, for example, be forced to watch his team lose badly to Accrington Stanley (who?)? If you were to ask people why they would endure the expensive four-hour round trip, they would probably answer something like this. Let’s push aside claims of “irrational behavior” in places where the sun doesn’t shine. And when it comes to government interventions like “Let’s eat out and help,” the less said about it, the better.
As we know, for behavioral science in general, and nudges in particular, to be effective over the long term, they need to be true and useful. Anything less will result in a loss of trust. This is the question at the heart of our current image problem. As the saying goes, “Fool me once, shame on you…Fool me twice, shame on you.” But the idea that we are somehow “post-nudged” in 2024 is not supported by what people are actually thinking, especially when it comes to brands.
Trust in businesses and brands has never been higher.
In fact, brands are trusted far more than traditional institutions, according to the last two Edelman Trust Barometers. Businesses outperform governments by 54 points when it comes to perceived competency and 30 points when it comes to ethics*. Additionally, 63% believe that establishment leaders cannot be trusted to tell the truth, while brands are considered the most trusted source for embedding innovation into society, especially when subject to scrutiny by scientists. case)**. Amazing stuff.
The impact on brand communication is significant. Alex Batchelor, former COO of System 1 Group: “There’s old-fashioned brand building and 21st century brand building based on behavioral science, and they’re very different…and (the latter).” Clearly, brands have There is a great opportunity, and a responsibility, to put nudge theory at the heart of what you do. Therefore, communication can be made more effective as people help themselves and, in turn, society as a whole.
The question is: How should brands apply nudges?
Especially at this point, anything that’s too slow, complicated, or connected to your bottom line is going to be a little useless as a starter. Naturally, the answer is found in behavioral science itself.
One of the big barriers to using very smart and constructive ideas like nudge theory is that nudge theory is typically a set of methodologies used from time to time to fine-tune ideas or accelerate results. It is recognized as a tool. This may seem tedious and add friction to the creative process, but when you consider so-called transparent nudges, it’s a bit of a stretch.
Rather, by framing it as a lens through which to view human behavior in general (an opaque nudge), the nudge becomes a context for better understanding trigger points and communication opportunities. It’s like when you put on a VR headset, you see potential actions of people around you before they happen.
Next, it helps to simplify your message by identifying the brand development spaces that contribute most to your message’s line of sight (another transparent nudge). These should address the main tenets of nudge theory: building trust, decision making, desired behaviors, and reinforcing experiences.
In this spirit, we would like to introduce you to the three areas of action that we are most focused on here at Creative Lab.
1. Get intimate with your audience
The basis of an effective nudge is understanding your target audience, their values, and the spaces (mental and physical) they inhabit. And we’re not talking about bland demographics, we’re really trying to find out what excites them. Talk to them, live in their world, walk in their shoes, and identify their preferences, behaviors, and pain points.
2. Send messages in a natural and focused manner
Nudges are most effective when they are subtle, non-intrusive, and have an outcome in mind. Consider the range of nudges available (see below) and carefully map them against the objectives of the brief you are writing. You can then apply the simplest, most effective, but potentially the most elusive solution. For example, when a movie theater chain in the United States wanted moviegoers to buy more popcorn, their solution was not to lower the price of the largest of the two sizes available; The idea was to introduce a decoy, a medium size with a sensible price.
3. Be prepared to test and iterate your communications regularly.
As with most examples of great brand communication campaigns, implementing nudges is an ongoing process, and the checks, balances, nips, tucks, and adjustments are all part of the fun. Three pillars are essential to doing this successfully:
- You understand the desired outcome and the range of creative options to get there.
- A simple and dynamic measurement method is introduced. For this we use gap analysis tools (read more) here)
- Quickly target and test different audiences and messages for the best results and ROI. This is done with the help of AI media tools (read more) here)
In summary…
So, as the marketing environment becomes increasingly fragmented and automated, incorporating the power of nudges into day-to-day brand building and communication development will undoubtedly provide a significant strategic advantage. Especially for brands looking to build more effective and authentic relationships with their audiences and the world around them than ever before.
Say no more!
5 important outtakes…
- Although nudge theory seems all-powerful, nudge theory and behavioral science in general have taken a hit to their image in recent years.
- But far from a post-nudge world, trusted brands have a lot to offer when it comes to supporting profits, people and society.
- By reframing nudges as lenses rather than tools, brands and agencies can make them part of our everyday understanding of human behavior.
- The key to success is identifying and excelling at the areas of brand and communication development that contribute most to effective nudges.
- At Creative Lab, we focus on a) getting intimate with your audience, b) making sure your message is natural and focused, and c) being ready to test and iterate your communications regularly.
** Edelman Trust Barometer, 2024
*** “Overview of Different Types of Nudges”, MembershipInnovation.com, March 2023
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